Collins, Upton hit 3-run homers as Tigers beat Astros 14-6

DETROIT – Tyler Collins and Justin Upton each hit a three-run homer to lead the Detroit Tigers to their fourth straight win, beating the Houston Astros 14-6 Friday night.

James McCann added a solo shot in the eighth and Cameron Maybin had three hits and scored three times for the Tigers, who were coming off a three-game sweep at Fenway Park. Detroit moved a half-game behind Houston, with both chasing Boston for the second AL wild-card spot.

Houston got homers from Jose Altuve and Jake Marisnek, but lost for the third time in four games.

Matt Boyd (2-2) picked up the win, allowing three runs on four hits in five innings. He walked one while striking out six. Boyd is 2-0 in his last three starts after going 0-2 in his first six.

Collin McHugh (7-7) went to the mound with a 2-0 lead, but didn't make it out of the second inning. He allowed eight runs on 10 hits while only retiring five batters.

Boyd struck out George Springer to start the game, but Marwin Gonzalez doubled and Altuve lined his 18th homer into the right-field stands. Detroit, though, tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Miguel Cabrera and an RBI single from Nick Castellanos.

Maybin's two-run double put the Tigers ahead 4-2 in the second, and Cabrera followed with a run-scoring single. Castellanos beat out a two-out infield single to score Cabrera with Detroit's sixth run.

The Tigers led 13-3 after seven, but the Astros scored three runs off Tigers mop-up relievers Mark Lowe and Dustin Molleken.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: Houston placed INF Luis Valbuena on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring and recalled INF Tyler White from Triple-A Fresno. . CF Carlos Gomez did not start after leaving Wednesday's game with a strained hamstring. He's expected to miss the entire weekend series in Detroit.

Tigers: RF J.D. Martinez (elbow) and RHP Jordan Zimmermann (neck) were both on rehab duty Friday with Triple-A Toledo. The Tigers are hoping to have both players back before the end of the current nine-game homestand.

PATERNITY LEAVE

Astros starting pitcher Doug Fister isn't with the team this weekend, as his wife is expected to give birth to the couple's first child. Fister pitched for the Tigers from 2011-13.

HOT STREAK ENDS

McHugh came into the night having posted a 2.49 ERA in his last seven starts, with the Astros going 6-1 in those games. The eight runs allowed tied a career record, last done on June 13, 2015 against Seattle.

UP NEXT

The teams continue their three-game series Saturday evening, with Justin Verlander (10-6, 3.64) facing Mike Fiers (7-4, 4.69). Verlander is 3-0 in six career starts against Houston with a 2.06 ERA.